Former senior diplomat Solo Mara had refused to reveal the password for his personal email account during a search by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption in January this year.

Former senior diplomat Solo Mara had allegedly refused to reveal the password for his personal email account to FICAC.

Mara’s hearing for charges of obtaining a financial advantage and causing a loss started in the Suva Magistrates Court today.

He is also charged with one count each of disobedience of lawful order and giving false or misleading information.

The hearing today is in relation to his second set of charges.

The first prosecution witness FICAC Investigator Alifereti Wakanivesi testified that they started investigating after receiving allegations of abuse of funds at the Fijian Embassy in the United States.

Wakanivesi says a search warrant was executed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He testified that Mara used his official and personal email accounts for official correspondence.

FICAC also obtained some payment vouchers allegedly approved by Mara during his tenure at the Embassy in Washington D.C.

Wakanivesi testified that in one particular voucher Mara allegedly approved further payments despite his official trip being fully funded and that his per diem was wrongly calculated.

It is alleged that between September 2016 and October 2017, Mara made payments to himself from the Washington Embassy funds amounting to over $38, 400 while serving as the Ambassador to the United States of America.

These amounts were allegedly paid through 15 payment vouchers between 1st September 2016 and 31st October 2017.

It is alleged Mara used various official engagements and opportunities to obtain these financial advantages from the Embassy funds. These included fully sponsored events by hosting agencies, where Mara allegedly re-claimed the amounts for his air tickets and per diems despite all costs being taken care of.

FICAC argues these are in breach of the Finance Manual of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Public Service (Diplomatic and Consular Services) Regulation, Finance Instructions 2010 and other related circulars.

The hearing continues this afternoon.